The Otago Volts are on their way to India for the next stage of their preparation for the Champions League.
Otago players and management flew out of Australia last night, just hours after losing a high-scoring game to the Queensland Academy.
They have two more warm-up games in India, against the Deccan Chargers and Somerset, before competing in the inaugural Champions League twenty/20 tournament.
Otago coach Mike Hesson said there was much excitement in the squad about the coming weeks.
"Everyone's a bit stiff and sore after three games in three days," Hesson told the Otago Daily Times from Brisbane last night.
"But the guys are very, very excited. They can't wait to get to India and get ready for the tournament."
It is not often a team scores 200 and is beaten in a twenty/20 game, but it happened to Otago yesterday.
Batting first on another cracking pitch, the Volts thrashed 201 for four off their 20 overs.
The Queensland Academy then rattled up 202 for six to win with two balls to spare.
"We struggled bowling into the wind a little bit. They put on 84 in the first six overs, so we actually did reasonably well to pull them back," Hesson said.
Nathan McCullum was the pick of the Otago bowlers, taking two for 40.
Derek de Boorder, promoted to No 3, smacked an unbeaten 65 off just 33 balls.
Hamish Rutherford (39 off 24), Craig Cumming (39 off 24) and Shaun Haig (32 off 17) were also in good form.
Hesson said the week playing and training in Queensland provided ideal preparation for his side, even if it was beaten in two of its three games.
